Tabis

The Japanese footwear known as tabis (TAH-bees), literally translated as
"footbag," are commonly worn on the feet inside the
traditional Japanese house. Yet it is more than just a pair of socks.
Generally made of either white cotton or silk, they fasten at the ankle by
means of a flat hook. They have reinforced soles called unsai-ori that
prevent slipping on wood floors and help them stand up to heavy use.

Tabis are specially designed to accommodate the traditional Japanese
shoes, geta (clogs) and zori (flip-flops), both of which have a thong that
fits between the big toe and the second toe. They are almost always white
or dark blue and, until recently, were almost always made of cotton twill,
especially for martial arts and performances of traditional music or
dance.

Tabis work in harmony with the Japanese environment, both natural and
architectural, while providing a cushion for the thongs in the sandals.
They coordinate with geta and zori to protect the clean, tatami mat floors
of the home and keep the kimono hem above the street. They also continue
the Buddhist tradition of avoiding leather for items of dress because of
Buddha's disapproval of killing animals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Japanese Costume Through the Ages.
Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo National Museum, 1962.

Kennedy, Alan.
Japanese Costume: History and Tradition.
New York: Rizzoli, 1990.